


Anti-Bullying

by Larkawolfgirl



Series: 100 Ways to Say I Love You [10]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bullying, Chubby Prompto Argentum, High School, Light Swearing, M/M, brotherhood era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larkawolfgirl/pseuds/Larkawolfgirl
Summary: "Hey, chubby."Prompto sighed and slowly shut his locker. He wasn't feeling particularly up for this today.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum
Series: 100 Ways to Say I Love You [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1165382
Kudos: 55





	Anti-Bullying

**Author's Note:**

> 5\. I'll walk you home

"Hey, chubby."

Prompto sighed and slowly shut his locker. He wasn't feeling particularly up for this today. He'd already had an argument with his parents that morning. He kept his gaze on the textbooks he was holding when he turned to face the bully. 

"Don't you get tired of looking so ugly?" 

His lip trembled. It wasn't like he had a choice. He had a low metabolism and didn't have the money for contacts, super healthy foods, or name-brand clothes. Everything he got was what his parents picked out from second-hand stores on their way back from trips. 

"Well, chubby?" The bully sneered. "Aren't you gonna say anything." 

There was a loud bang as if someone slammed their fist into the lockers. 

"Haven't you said enough?" Demanded a familiar voice. 

Prompto looked up from his books. "Gladio!"

Gladio didn't answer, gaze fixated on the other boy. "You, apologize or I'll make you."

“Oh, really? You’d risk suspension over some pansy who won’t even bother trying to stand up for himself? Pathetic.” The bully smacked at the books in Prompto’s hands knocking them to the floor. 

Gladio growled and stepped forward so that the bully was cornered against the row of lockers. “Apologize. Now!”

Prompto stood there shocked. 

There was a suspended moment where the boy sized up whether Gladio was serious or not. Most of the other students in the hallway had stopped to gawk and whisper. The fact that Gladio had not wavered one bit at their whispering must have been the evidence he needed because he made a nasty-looking face, but then said unconvincingly, “sorry.”

Gladio leaned in close. “Don’t let me catch you picking on him again. You hear me?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Gladio pushed him back against the lockers for good measure before moving away. The bully glared at Prompto before taking off to the other end of the hallway.

“Thank you,” Prompto said.

“Bastard’s lucky we’re at school. Otherwise, I’d have broken his nose.”

“Isn’t that too much?”

Gladio crouched down and began to pick up Prompto’s fallen books. “No way. Those assholes pick on you more days than not. It’s disgusting.”

Prompto looks at his hands. “Not like what they say isn’t true, though.”

Gladio stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t believe a word they say.”

“Yeah, but it’s true. I’m fat, wear glasses, have ache and freckles. Some of my clothes even have holes and stains because I can’t replace them whenever I want.”

“Prompto, that doesn’t matter. You are a good person, and besides, I don’t think any of that makes you ugly.”

Gladio’s hand was still on his shoulder. Prompto’s heart started beating a bit faster. “You don’t?”

“No, you are handsome.”

No one had ever told him that before. “You didn’t have to do that just cause I’m Noct’s friend, you know? You’re paid to protect him not me.”

“I wanted to. No way I could stand back and watch him treat you like crap.”

“Thanks, Gladio.”

“Anytime. Here,” he finally removes his hand from his shoulder, “let me walk you home.”

“S-sure.”

Prompto walked with him in silence. It was so nice of Gladio to do all of this for him. If only he had asked him to walk with him because he wanted to rather than to protect him from any other bullies. 

Gladio looked down at him from on top of the curb he was balancing across. “Something wrong?”

“Oh, uh, just thinking how pathetic it is that you felt I needed an escort home.”

Gladio stopped and hopped down from the curb. “Prompto,” he met his eyes, “you think I’m worried someone else is going to come pester you, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah. Why else would you have offered to walk me home.”

Gladio sighed. “Wow, okay. Noct’s right, you do have self-esteem issues.”

“Huh?”

“This is supposed to be like a mini-date, ya know? Like in the books and movies.”

“Oh.” He was too surprised to say anything more. 

Gladio chuckled at whatever face he was making. 

“I’m guessing no one’s ever asked you out before.”

“Never ever.”

Gladio smiled. “Well, you better get used to it.” Then he started walking again.

“What do you mean?” Then it hit him. “Wait, Gladio? Hey!” He sprinted the short distance to catch up and caught the older boy’s arm. Gladio stopped and looked at him again. “Does this mean you l---like me?”

“Duh.” The older boy tugged him into a hug that made Prompto’s heart melt. 

“I think I might like you too.”


End file.
